Omar obeyed without reply; and Almoran being again alone, the conflict in his mind was renewed with greater violence than before.  He felt all that he had disguised to Omar, with the keenest sensibility; and anticipated the effects of his detection, with unutterable anguish and regret.  He walked backward and forward with a hasty but interrupted pace; sometimes stopping short, and pressing his hand hard upon his brow; and sometimes by violent gestures showing the agitation of his mind:  he sometimes stood silent with his eyes, fixed upon, the ground, and his arms folded together; and sometimes a sudden agony of thought forced him into loud and tumultuous exclamations:  he cursed the impotence of mind that had suffered his thoughts to escape from him unawares; without reflecting that he was even then repeating the folly; and while he felt himself the victim of vice, he could not suppress his contempt of virtue:  ‘If I must perish,’ said he, ’I will at least perish unsubdued:  I will quench no wish that nature kindles in my bosom; nor shall my lips utter any prayer, but for new powers to feed the flame.’

As he uttered this expression, he felt the palace shake; he heard a rushing, like a blast in the desart; and a being of more than human appearance stood before him.  Almoran, though he was terrified, was not humbled; and he stood expecting the event, whether evil or good, rather with obduracy than courage.

‘Thou seest,’ says the Appearance, ’a Genius, whom the daring purpose of thy mind has convoked from the middle region, where he was appointed to wait the signal; and who is now permitted to act in concert with thy will.  Is not this the language of thy heart?—­“Whatever pleasure I can snatch from the hand of time, as he passes by me, I will secure for myself:  my passions shall be strong, that my enjoyments may be great; for what is the portion allotted to man, but the joyful madness that prolongs the hours of festivity, the fierce delight that is extorted from injury by revenge, and the sweet succession of varied pleasures which the wish that is ever changing prepares for love?"’

‘Whatever thou art,’ said Almoran, ’whose voice has thus disclosed the secret of my soul, accept my homage; for I will worship thee:  and be thou henceforth my wisdom and my strength.’

‘Arise,’ said the Genius, ’for therefore am I sent.  To thy own powers, mine shall be superadded:  and if, as weak only, thou hast been wretched; henceforth thou shalt be happy.  Take no thought for to-morrow; to-morrow, my power shall be employed in thy behalf.  Be not affrighted at any prodigy; but put thy confidence in me.’  While he was yet speaking and the eyes of Almoran were fixed upon him, a cloud gathered round him; and the next moment dissolving again into air, he disappeared.

CHAP.  IX

Almoran, when he recovered from his astonishment, and had reflected upon the prodigy, determined to wait the issue, and refer all his hopes to the interposition of the Genius, without attempting any thing to retard the marriage; at which he resolved to be present, that he might improve any supernatural event which might be produced in his favour.